Meaning & use
a stubborn person
Last updated
Meanings
phrase
A person who refuses to change their opinion or way of doing something, even when others disagree or ask them to.
Grammar: Used as a noun phrase. You can say 'He is a stubborn person' or 'She can be a stubborn person sometimes.'
Patterns
- be a stubborn person
- a stubborn person who ...
- a stubborn person about something
My grandfather is a stubborn person who never asks for help, even when he needs it.
She's a stubborn person, so once she makes a decision, it's hard to change her mind.
Being a stubborn person can be good when you're fighting for something important.
phraseapproving
Someone who continues trying to do something difficult and does not give up easily.
Grammar: This sense is more positive and often used with 'but' or 'and' to show a good result.
Patterns
- a stubborn person who won't give up
- too much of a stubborn person
He's a stubborn person, but that's why he finished the marathon.
You have to be a stubborn person to succeed in this business.
Common combinations
- a stubborn person who refuses to listen
- She's a stubborn person who refuses to listen to advice.
- a very stubborn person
- My boss is a very stubborn person when it comes to deadlines.
- a stubborn person by nature
- He's a stubborn person by nature, so don't expect him to apologize.
- a stubborn person about something
- She's a stubborn person about her diet and won't eat anything sweet.
Synonyms and how they differ
- headstrong
- Similar, but 'headstrong' often suggests someone who acts quickly without listening to others, while 'stubborn' focuses on refusing to change.
- obstinate
- More formal and stronger than 'stubborn'; it often suggests unreasonable refusal to change.
- determined
- Positive; it means having a strong wish to achieve something, not refusing to change for no reason.
Opposites
Word family
- stubbornly adverb
- In a stubborn way: 'He stubbornly refused to apologize.'
- stubbornness noun
- The quality of being stubborn: 'Her stubbornness caused problems.'
Commonly confused: a stubborn person or sturdy?
a stubborn person vs sturdy
'Sturdy' means strong and solid, often for objects or people: 'a sturdy table.' It does not mean refusing to change.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'a stubborn person' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'A stubborn person who never changes her mind' correctly uses 'who' to describe the person. The other options use wrong prepositions or verb forms.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a stubborn person”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.